Use of Penicillium, Colletotrichum and Rhizpus species in organic waste treatment

Abstract

As population grows, and with it the quantity of waste produced, it becomes more important to find ways to recycle waste or to shorten degradation time of organic waste materials. This study was conducted to evaluate the capacity of Colletotrichum and Rhizopus species to degrade ‘Paraiso’ mango fruits and of Rhizopus and Penicillium species to degrade ‘Valencia’ orange fruits. In both cases, intact and chopped fruits were inoculated with the fungi by spraying (3.5 x 106 spores/mL). Three fruits were an experimental unit, with three replicates per treatment; seven treatments were done per fruit. Weight loss, pH and volume of leachates, incidence and severity of damage caused by the fungi were recorded daily for 33 days. Results showed greater weight loss and leachates production in both types of chopped fruits inoculated with fungi. Incidence and severity was greater in mango inoculated with Colletotrichum. It is concluded that degradation of mango and orange fruits was greater when inoculated with a mixture of Colletotrichum and Rhizopus; and Penicillium and Rhizopus, respectively.